IP knowledgebase

What is a proxy?

A proxy server, also known as a "proxy" or "application-level gateway", is basically another computer that acts as a gateway between a local network (for example all the computers at one company) and the Internet.

Proxy servers provide increased performance and security. By connecting through one of these servers, your computer sends your requests to the proxy server which then processes your request and returns what you were wanting. Proxies are used for a number of reasons such as to filter web content, to go around restrictions such as parental blocks, to screen downloads and uploads and to provide anonymity when surfing the internet.

If you are wanting to surf the web anonymously then private proxies can provide you with a means to hide your home IP address from the rest of the world. By connecting to the internet through proxies, the home IP address of your machine will not be shown but rather the IP of the proxy server will be shown. This can provide you with more privacy then if you were simply connecting directly to the internet.

How to find a web proxy

There are many Web proxies that can provide you with service. You can find a list of these simply by typing “Proxy List” into any search engine. There are some proxies which are free and some which charge money, the choice is up to you but we have found that the paid proxies are more reliable, faster and more secure.